I recently had a patient tell me about their friend who had a heart attack shortly after having a flu shot, and this was their reason for not getting a flu shot: That the flu shot can cause heart attacks and strokes.

This is a great question. If I heard this story, I too might hold off on my flu shot.

Do immunizations rev up the immune system and this initiate heart attacks and strokes?

I wasn’t sure of this answer, so I went to Google….but not regular Google where you find all sorts of misinformation when you are looking to answer a scientific question: I went to Google Scholar.

For those who are not familiar, Google Scholar is a subset of Google that focuses on scientific and legitimate articles to eliminate the ‘trash’ on regular Google searches when you are trying to ask a more specific science question.

And, looking into this topic, I found a very specific answer to this question in an article in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.

Flu shots and other immunizations are NOT associated with heart attacks and strokes

Infections (respiratory and urinary) are associated with an increased risk for subsequent heart attack stroke in the following several weeks

The mechanism of action is presumed due to inflammation activation…but this is unknown.

Although these are not high likelihoods, we can confirm that taking a flu shot for heart and stroke patients: A: Is Safe and B: Will reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke by preventing infections.

The desire to chew on ice is called pagophagia, and if a person has an intense desire to chew ice they of will often be found to have iron deficiency anemia.

It is the iron deficiency that causes this behavior as the person is seeking iron in their environment, and that desire if focused into eating ice as opposed to other natural substances (such as soil/dirt….non nutritive substances) that have a high level of iron in them naturally.

It is sometimes amazing when I find a person with very low iron levels and anemia and ask them about their ice eating. They feel like I am a mind-reader. Often their ice eating, although extreme, has not struck them yet as a bizarre sign that something must be wrong with them.

Pagophagia is just one form of pica, the eating of non-nutritive substances. Other picas include eating hair, soil, paint chips (thus the children with lead poisoning, and even blood (vampires exhibit pica.)

So….eating ice is fine and is a normal behavior, but if you always feel the need to have ice in an ice chest in your car or cup, you may find that you are anemic and it would be worthwhile getting bloodwork to find out.

Medical research is a difficult undertaking. Exploring new ideas and proving new concepts takes genius and diligence.

Reading the story of James Allison, the latest winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine, you hear of all the dead ends and crazy ideas he pursued, until he finally lighted upon the novel method of proving that you could turn the immune system on, and fight cancer with the body’s own defenses. His story is a master class in perseverance and tenacity.

Contrast that with Brian Wansink, a Cornell nutrition researcher whose entire list of research has been withdrawn from journals due to his duplicity and mendacity in reporting false results. His misleading results have wasted time and money, all in the pursuit of his own ego and money.

In this world, it can be difficult to separate these two types. History if filled with deceptions and greatness…..on the same page.

It is my job, as a Hopkin’s trained medical scientist, to help my patients decipher what is a great advance and what is a bunch of hooey. I’m at it 24/7/365…..so….rest easy!

I heard on the news that one of my medications was recalled due to chemical concerns and cancer risk. Can you tell me what you recommend I do?

Sid

I responded

Sid;
Right now…..several blood pressure medications are being implicated with concerns of imperfect production with chemical ‘taint’.
The studies do not support any short term worries, but nonetheless, this is not ideal or acceptable over time.

Plan:
1. Call your pharmacy and check to see if your medication lot# has been recalled.

2. Get an alternative producer if your manufacturer or lot has been directly recalled, if available in that pharmacy. If not, call an alternative pharmacy to see about their medication and lots.
2. Return to our website where we will post and updated list on medications that are recalled and resources where you can locate information
3. Continue on your current medication dose and type if it is working as there may be no perfectly safe harbor until this issue is clarified.